Why so much hype?

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Notice the magic police car that changes from 72 Chevy Impala to Ford LTD during the police chase with the dirt motorcycles. The Sheriff takes of in a Chevy and catches them in a Ford. ROTFL Either it was a serious mess up, or as I suspect; they were so low budget they only had two squad cars that when one car wrecked they had to use the only other car they had? Funny to watch though.

Arriving in the American Southwest, an archeologist and his daughter investigating claims of a strange discovery by a local farmhand finds that he's uncovered evidence that a race of gargoyles have been unleashed in the desert and much race to find a way of appeasing them before they run amuck.Overall this here wasn't all that bad of an effort. One of the better aspects of this one is the rather enjoyable manner in which this one goes about building up the titular creatures as threats. From the beginning, it gives the impression that the creatures are out and wandering the desert with their shadowy flyovers and sudden appearances giving this one some rather fun times here. The first encounter at the ramshackle motel where the creatures appear and attack the shack with the blazing inferno creating a spectacular visual of the burning building while they try to escape is a fine start, and the series of encounters that take place in the motel are great fun as the various creatures emerge to try to steal the bodies of their kind to remain hidden from society. A later ambush on the hunting party out looking for everyone has some great shots of the gargoyles jumping everyone while the wild finale in the underground caves where they're all stored has some chilling ideas deep in their cave homes. This here manages to give this one plenty of fine and loving looks at the distinctive creatures as they're given plenty of screen-time to show off individual looks and themes, replete with male and female characteristics and at various ages which is a great feat. These here do manage to hold this one up over it's few if somewhat detrimental flaws. The main issue with the film is the rather comical manner of gargoyle attack where the film goes into slow-motion whenever they get moving with any kind of intensity and it turns the whole sequence into a hysterical romp. There's little about these scenes that actually inspires fear when the creatures are shown in such slow-motion that it actually renders their appearance comical with the ability to see the costumes as exactly that, costumes rather than living creatures. When used for scenes other than the attacks, the creatures are just plain silly and cheesy with the tactics and it wholly reduces their fear factor considerably. The other problem here is the lack of explanation offered for the creatures' appearance, as they seem to show up out of nowhere simply because the heroes arrive nearby which the coincidental nature doesn't really seem like a worthwhile excuse. While there are times where the made-for-TV origins show up in here, these here are the main elements that lower this one.Rated Unrated/PG: Violence.

A professor, known for literature on demonology, and his daughter, encounter ancient demonic creatures known as gargoyles while traveling in the desert—to visit an old timer known as Old Willie who claims to have a special skeleton worthy of his attention—that have been in an incubation stage for centuries, now hatched and building an army with the ultimate goal of wiping out mankind and assuming control of the planet! Not bad television horror has a cult following, mainly by those who watched it as kids in the 70s. Cornell Wilde (High Sierra) is the professor who realizes that if the gargoyles are allowed to leave the cave as a large group that man will probably be rendered extinct. Not only does that motivate him though: the lead demon gargoyle (played by Bernie Casey!) has kidnapped Wilde's daughter, Jennifer Salt (Brian DePalma's "Sisters"), holding her prisoner in the cave, perhaps desiring her sexually (it seems more and more evident that his interest in her goes beyond just holding her captive as bait). Scott Glenn even has a part in this early part of his career as a stone-faced dirt biker wrongfully accused, along with other friends just found in the wrong place at the wrong time by Chief William Stevens and Deputy John Gruber. Woody Chambliss (looking rather gruff and in need of a shower) is Uncle Willie whose skeletal remains of a gargoyle piques Wilde's interest has a little supporting part that gets the ball rolling. Even under quite a costume, with protruding teeth and eye contacts, Casey is successful in parlaying a menace that should be taken seriously and when he warns Wilde of what is to come, you know his lead demon gargoyle means business. If I were to criticize this movie, it would be the mistake of shooting the gargoyles during the day when the costumes are more obvious and less authentic-looking. And, during this film, the gargoyles are seen visibly more during the day than at night, especially in the cave where the last half is primarily set. Still, Casey's costume, make-up, and face are quite impressive, and the addition of those wings looks pretty gnarly. When the gargoyles destroy windows, doors, and Wilde's station wagon, I think these moments are when the movie really hums. You really understand here the kind of damage in store for the Earth if the creatures are able to breed into an army. The plot is fairly simple and straight-forward. It becomes Wilde, Stevens, Glenn, and the bikers against the gargoyles, led by Casey's chief gargoyle. Rather violent for a 70s television film, Wilde and company shoot several of the gargoyles at close range during desert fights. The sight of Grayson Hall (Dark Shadows; she steals her scenes as a hotel owner always carrying a glass with booze) hanging upside down from an electrical pole and the truck driving in circles (it once housed Hall and driver/gas station attendant/mechanic Jim Connell) without occupants are also memorable moments in this television movie. "Gargoyles" has a nice reputation and while it doesn't quite live up to the expectations I had, I still enjoyed it, particularly as a creature feature. I think the costumes, which are reminiscent to me of the work of Milicent Patrick (creature designer of "Creature from the Black Lagoon"), have "personality" and are provided with expressively designed faces and scaly bodies (some even have wings and beaks). I do recommend this to fans of rubber suited monster movies. A bit of trivia: Stan Winston was one of the make-up designers. Good use of New Mexico locations. For a film shot in a manner of days in sweltering heat, "Gargoyles" benefits from this, I think, and the score has that unnerving quality that fits the overall tone of potential global terror if Wilde and others don't stop the monsters.

In 1972, the sixties were over, the flower child days having been killed off by the Rolling Stones at Altamont, or by the Manson Family at LA, or by the National Guard at Kent State. America was tired, scared, and hung-over and the hippies were devolving.... either into apolitical burn-outs, or, worse-yet, Jesus-freaks.The Jesus-Christ-Superstar fad eventually inspired a more Bible-oriented type of horror movie. Also, as a traumatized America turned more and more toward to the Christian Bible, more and more people indulged in Apolcolyptic thinking...the Book of Revelations being filled with lurid and horrifying images, and with ambiguous prophecies such as would allow a reader from any time or place to believe that he was truly living in the End of Days.The clever writer of this film combined a bit of Biblical mythology, plus Miltonic concepts, and medieval demonology to create a set of very original and effective monsters. The opening of this film has Vic Perrin (greatest scifi/horror voice ever!) narrate this mix of mythology, adding a new bit about every 500 years or so the gargoyles returning to plague the human race. The spooky Perrin intro is played over a montage of medieval gargoyles from Gothic Cathedrals, plus demonic images by Hieronymus Bosch and Peter Bruegel.A year after this film, the big budget 'The Exorcist' was released, which lead to 'The Omen' and sequels, 'Carrie,' and 'Amityville Horror'...all horror films with strong religio-Biblical elements and themes. Eventually, this sub-genre morphed into the execrable 'Left Behind' books and videos. But this film beat them all to the punch.Considering the time, budget and technological constraints, this is actually a finely made and very original little horror film. The cast is up to the task, and there are no bad performances...weak moments in the script are dealt with quickly, so the audience doesn't get much time to notice them.Cornell Wilde, whose career was rapidly fading in his rear-view mirror, does a good job here and the director wisely had the lovely Jennifer Salt wearing halter tops throughout the film. Ahhh, but I am nostalgic for the days when women still had natural bodies and halter tops were in fashion! The Gargoyle Supreme Commander make-up for Bernie Casey is excellent, and Vic Perrin's voice-over is great. The supporting gargoyles are all very good as well.In classic 1970's style, the gargoyles are battled by youth riding dirt bikes and grown-ups riding Off-Road Vehicle's. In true American fashion, fossil fuels are the main weapon to stave off the apocalypse. We now know, with the benefit of hindsight, that a real apocalypse, either ecological, economic, or a combination, is the most likely result of our faith in fossil fuels. But that's the upside of the Biblical Apocalypse...it frees you from worrying about real problems.